Video: Playwright Stephanie Alison Walker Talks ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE at Steppenwolf

A clip from Steppenwolf Theatre Company features playwright Stephanie Alison Walker speaking about her upcoming world premiere comedy ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE, offering a preview of the production ahead of its opening. In the video, Walker discusses working with director Pam MacKinnon and the cast, calling them "absolute superstars," and traces the origins of the play back to a school board meeting she attended, recalling that a friend told her "somebody's trying to ban books" and that she thought, "not on my watch."

ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE centers on a group of suburban mothers who set out to ban certain books from their children's school library, only to find their friendship group fracturing under the pressure. Walker, a Chicago-based playwright, said she hopes audiences leave with "a new perspective to carry" with them and a reminder "to be more curious about the world."

The production marks a world premiere directed by Pam MacKinnon and will open Steppenwolf's 51st season in the company's Ensemble Theater, running October 22 through December 6, 2026. The cast includes ensemble member Caroline Neff alongside David Darrow, Katrina Lenk, Wendy Mateo and Sadieh Rifai.